Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: α. 4–6 fermerie, -y(e, 4–7 fermori(e, -y(e, 5 fermary(e, 7 Hist. fermarie, firmorie, firmary. β. 6 farmarie, -erye, -ory, 7 farmary, 6– farmery. [aphet. f. OF. enfermerie, ad. med.L. infirmāria: see INFIRMARY.] = INFIRMARY; chiefly, the infirmary of a monastery.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 108. If ȝe fare so in ȝowre fermorie.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 212. Fermery and fraitur with fele mo houses.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, IV. lx. (1869), 205. I wole lede þee with me … in to þe fermerye to reste.
c. 1550. Bale, K. Johan, 82. Gett thee to the farmerye.
1593. Rites & Mon. Ch. Durh. (Surtees), 44. A chamber called the Dead Mane’s Chamber in the said Farmery.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. viii. § 62. The rehearsall … of his dying in the Firmary.
1626. Spelman, Gloss., Firmarium al. Fermarium, Angl. a fermarie.
1655. Fuller, The Church-History of Britain, VI. ii. 287. Infirmarium, or the Firmorie.
1891. W. H. St. J. Hope, in Venables, Chron. de Parco Lude, Introd. 55. Of the farmery (infirmitorium) … very little has been made out.
attrib. a. 1490. Botoner, Itin. (Nasmith, 1778). 83. The fermarye chyrch continet in longitudine 34 virgas.
